Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Iowa Update

Submitted by Julie Haack, State Representative

Summer is
here and even though the halls are quiet, we are plugging away preparing for
fall and what early FAFSA may bring to our campuses!

There has
been a lot going on here in Iowa over the winter and spring. Our
Community Outreach committee organized Governor Terry Branstad’s signing of a
proclamation making February Financial Aid Awareness Month. Fourteen IASFAA members attended the signing
ceremony which was held at the Capitol Building in Des Moines.

Jennifer
Schroeder, Chair of Professional Development, organized the Director’s Drive-in
Workshop, an event held each February.
This year’s event was held in Ames, Iowa on the campus of Iowa State
University. The event brings together
Directors from around the state to discuss current events and issues.

Elections
were held in January and those slated to serve under new President Chris Ditter
(Drake University) for the 16-17 term are:
Gisella Baker (Hawkeye Community College)– President-Elect; Ean Freels (DMACC)–
Vice President; Jennifer Schroeder (Iowa State) – Secretary; Chad Peters (DMACC)
– Treasurer Elect; and Tristan Lynn (Iowa College Aid Commission), Delegate at
Large. We thank each and every one that
agreed to run for these elected positions and give their time to IASFAA!

Gisella
Baker began her role as President-Elect by attending the NASFSAA Leadership
conference in Washington D.C. at the end of February. Chris Ditter
attended the Michigan state conference January 31-February 3 as part of the
MASFAA State Exchange program.

Our spring
conference was held in April in Johnston, Iowa and we hosted Thomas Ratliff,
our MASFAA President-Elect, and had the benefit of having Megan McClean Coval
representing NASFAA, and Zack Goodwin from the DOE as our spring federal
trainer. All three sat on a town hall
panel and answered questions from our membership. Zack Goodwin also held a one-on-one session
that was very informative.

Pre-conference
programming was a NASFAA Credential Opportunity on Cost of Attendance. Another NASFAA credential training was held
on May 17th on Direct Loans.

In June,
Chris Ditter will hold her Summer Retreat as incoming President.

Planning for
our fall IASFAA conference is underway.
It will be held in Sioux City, Iowa October 26-28.

My two terms
of representing Iowa as MASFAA State Rep will come to an end in October as Past
President Kristi Fuller takes the reins.
I have enjoyed my time serving IASFAA and MASFAA as part of the
Executive Council and will stay involved at the state level as current co-chair
of our Program Committee.